I have the honor to be having shoulder surgery this week with 3 to 6 months till I get back to "normal."

Here is my question, everytime I get ready to fly fish, I usually add several flys to my collection. So now the things are everywhere and I couldn't tell you what I have. I have a few small sized boxes but it really is getting out of control.

How do you organize your flys?

I do have a cabin reserved for the first weekend of November, I don't care what the Doc says, so if you see a one shouldered fisherman hung up in a tree, could you help a brother out?

__________________

David

"My Biggest worry is that when I'm dead and gone, my wife will sell my fly-fishing gear for what I said I paid for it."

I have a streamer/terrestrial box, a dry box for tail waters, a dry box for the Smoky's, a midge/nymph box, a dropper rig box with tailwater and mountain rigs. I would like to add a saltwater box and a warm water box.

I have two large divided boxes (10"x7") that have 17 compartments each (1 large, 16 normal) that I separate all of my flies into (type and color - but you could get more and go with size as well). I carry just a few small fly boxes and every so often (usually about 4-6 times out) I empty my fly boxes back into the the large boxes (and throw out the flies that are too damaged to reuse).

Whne I go fishing I make sure I look through my fly boxes to makes sure I have at least 2 of evey kind that I think I will need and by looking at the large boxes first I can make sure that I have thought of everything.

Sometimes I take the large boxes with me in case there is a fly I need to have, once I'm on the water. But this past year I have even broke myself of that. If I don't have it in my small box, too bad....

It works for me because the fish I chase have simple requirements. Tailwater fisheries would require larger carry boxes, but the idea could still work: 1) Organize and categorize your flies into a large collection and 2) only take the flies you need. 3) From time to time empty your carry fly boxes back into the larger collection and start over.

I even took it a step farther to capture the flies I need to always tie and have on hand:

Anal, I know, but I'm able to stay organized...

__________________"Even a fish wouldn't get into trouble if he kept his mouth shut."

I have two large divided boxes (10"x7") that have 17 compartments each (1 large, 16 normal) that I separate all of my flies into (type and color - but you could get more and go with size as well). I carry just a few small fly boxes and every so often (usually about 4-6 times out) I empty my fly boxes back into the the large boxes (and throw out the flies that are too damaged to reuse).

Whne I go fishing I make sure I look through my fly boxes to makes sure I have at least 2 of evey kind that I think I will need and by looking at the large boxes first I can make sure that I have thought of everything.

Sometimes I take the large boxes with me in case there is a fly I need to have, once I'm on the water. But this past year I have even broke myself of that. If I don't have it in my small box, too bad....

It works for me because the fish I chase have simple requirements. Tailwater fisheries would require larger carry boxes, but the idea could still work: 1) Organize and categorize your flies into a large collection and 2) only take the flies you need. 3) From time to time empty your carry fly boxes back into the larger collection and start over.

I even took it a step farther to capture the flies I need to always tie and have on hand:

Anal, I know, but I'm able to stay organized...

mmm....that helped me out as well....thanks for sharing it with us all.

Nope. I like my sytem and don't have any extras. Now,if you want to share what your system is, I'm sure I can learn somethin'. Like grandpa used to say: "Don't criticize, unless you have a better way of doin' it"